Where the Stars Align

Chapter 1 (edited)

(edited)

Another school, another place.

Valeria wondered how long she'd have to stay here before it was time to move. For as long as she could recall, she never stayed in one place for more than two years. On a sudden morning, her mother would wake her up and tell her to pack up, that they were moving. At a young age, she learned to stop asking why because it was always the same answer: "This place isn't for us anymore, honey. It's time to move on."

Her mother never gave further information, and she never asked further questions.

At a point she also learned to stop getting attached to people, to things. Connection and affection made saying goodbye a whole lot harder, and she had to say goodbye a lot.

In her life she had moved over eight times, to over eight different states with no contact whatsoever with someone she left behind.

There are a lot of things she didn't know about her life- like why her mother liked to move so much, why she changed their names over and over again, or who her father was.

Her father was a sensitive topic, anytime she asked of him, her mother's face would morph into a mask of hard-set lips and stone-cold eyes; and she'd always say the same thing. That he was no one worth remembering.

Val didn't know what he did to her mother to deserve such resentment but she couldn't help wondering if it was because of her. On other days she would ask herself if she even knew who he was. It's possible after all...

A drunken night, spur of the moment decisions leaving regret and tears in its wake.

All she knew was that she got her brown eyes, pale complexion and midnight coloured hair from him, and that the silver necklace that shone around her neck since she was old enough not to be mistakenly strangled by it. So you know where you come from, her mom told her, though she wondered how on earth that tiny trinket would show her where she belonged.
The only thing special, after all,were the words engraved at the back 'We will always be together, where the stars align' only heaven knew what on earth that meant, but she liked it. Cryptic and mysterious, like her life.

From that day forward she'd always been fascinated by the stars- by how little clusters of virtually nothing could shine so bright, even in what felt like never-ending darkness. It was like they were aware of the shadow trying to engulf them, so they gleamed even brighter; flaunting their incandescent light.

"Val!"her mother had shouted from downstairs, "let's get a move on, or you'll be late for school!"

Sighing, she got off her bed and laced up her Jordans before heading out the door. That's one of the only reasons she was okay with moving around; it came with luxuries. She didn't ask her mother where she got the money to buy those things anymore, because she wasn't even sure she'd like the answer. Her closet is full of expensive clothes, bags, shoes and accessories that she knew cost way more than what she thought should be in their price range, but her mother and her relationship was one of few words, just a mutual understanding... to an extent. They gave each other space and she didn't ask the questions that plagued her every night.